bedroom hymns
by Seph Meadowes
Summary: College was supposed to be all about parties, hot boys and poor decisions. Caroline wasn't expecting someone to be back from the grave seemingly with amnesia and most of all completely human. Alternate Season Five, Kol/Caroline.


Caroline has been dreaming about college since freshman year of high school when Duke came home that summer from university and regaled everyone that would listen about the _glorious_ college life and that they should be jealous that he was a big boy who could go there and they were all still stuck in _boring _Mystic Falls.

And despite how much she didn't want to be envious of that asshole she_ was_.

And could you blame her?

When she wasn't trying to do doll herself up to get the upperclassmen to pay her just the tiniest bit of attention or practicing cheer movements so she could even have a chance of making it on the squad, all she could think about was attending some awesome university where everyone was older and cooler and she didn't have to live in perfect Elena's shadow.

Of course, she's changed some since then. She was less insecure of Elena and more comfortable with who she was aside from less heartbeats and more iron in her diet.

And despite all the madness in the past few years, she _made it_. She graduated and now she was off to college.

Okay, so Elena decided to take a year sabbatical to travel with Damon (last she heard they were in Monte Carlo), Bonnie was with her mom and had texted her back only a few times since the summer but she wasn't going to let it deter her, she was giving Stefan space to heal his heartbreak and Tyler had messaged her at the end of summer that he had no plans of returning _ever _– but she was not letting any of those things affect her,

She was at _Whitmore freaking College_. The very same one her parents and grandparents attended and nothing was going to stop her from enjoying the life she had dreamed about for so long. So a few things didn't go according to plan but that didn't mean her time her was going to be less than awesome.

The minute she arrives she's in awe of everything, inwardly and outwardly sighing in bliss. Her mom chuckled in amusement at her before she led them to Caroline's dorm. Caroline was only going to have one roommate who hadn't arrived yet and Caroline already eyed which bed she wanted and made plans on how to decorate.

Caroline was musing between color schemes when her mom said clear as day, "Bill would be so proud of you right now."

That ache in Caroline's chest flared up again, it wasn't the open wound it used to be but it was like a scar, a reminder to tell her of things she could never have again.

She turned around and hugged her mom immediately. She wasn't crying but her mom was tearing up so they let themselves hold each other for a minute, comforting the other. Her mom let her go with a sad but proud smile and a "Good luck".

Caroline's new life began today.

Later, Caroline walked around campus with the map specifically designed for freshmen. She was on her way to a café on campus when she's stopped by a few students giving out flyers. She reads the printed letters on the glossy and colourful piece of paper 'FIRST DAY BONFIRE' and already knew what she was doing that night.

The bonfire was a mixed thing between Whitmore and its sister college Delcrest (which was in the neighbouring town from where Whitmore was located). Caroline went with a few other freshmen girls whose dorm was across from hers. They were nice but not too friendly and Caroline was okay with that.

A few older boys start flirting with her and she wasn't frigid but none of them really caught her attention so she made her escape and went to get herself some beer. A cup in hand she tried to get the spear to work but it wouldn't budge and she didn't want to put too much pressure lest she break it super strength and all.

She's muttering to herself in annoyance when a warm hand stilled hers and stopping her from breaking the keg.

She stiffened and looked up at the invader and she completely froze.

She never quite understood why deer just went still in front of headlights but now she knew. Because fear did funny things to you and combine that with shock and a quickly blossoming horror and you would know how Caroline was feeling.

You see, this wasn't just some hot, older college boy come to her rescue. Her ideal college life slowly unravelling around her, Caroline thought for a moment it couldn't get worse. She was wrong.

She couldn't really think of anything more horrific in that moment than seeing _Kol fucking Mikaelson_ effortlessly filling her cup with beer because he was_ dead_. She'd seen his burnt corpse and tried to clean the stain of it off the floor of the Gilberts' kitchen. She'd almost been killed by the small army he assembled when the Veil was temporary down.

He was_ dead_. He couldn't be here unless…

But Bonnie had closed the Veil. Jeremy had told them so.

So what was Kol doing here?

"Hi," He greeted her. "I haven't seen you around before, you must be knew. My name's Kol."

Wait, what?

She sputtered, looking at him in complete disbelief because he was acting like he didn't know her at all. Like his brother hadn't tried to _fucking woo_ _her_ or that his sister t_ried to steal her_ now ex-_boyfriend_. Personally, the two of them hadn't had any real interaction but by association they weren't complete strangers either.

"Kol," She started. "Cut the shit. What are you playing at her? What are you even doing here? Aren't you supposed to be at some séance or something, trying to reach out to someone so they can fulfill your plans of sordid revenge?"

Kol blinked at her in complete confusion and shook his head. "Well, Occult Studies aren't really my thing."

Oh, he liked to be clever, did he? _Unbelievable_.

She crossed her arms over her chest in a defensive gesture. "_No_, being a complete psycho was more your thing I heard."

She watched him gap and blink at her in complete astonishment before he started to pull away, looking admonished. "_Right_. I'm just gonna go…"

And now he was just walking away.

She followed him. "Hey!"

He wasn't just gonna go and disappear without an explanation. She learned the hard way that leaving things like that eventually came back to bite her in the ass.

He turned to see her marching towards him and he quickened his pace.

"Hey!"

He was barely above a sprint now and she used some of her vampire speed to keep up but not too much it would get people's attention. She wound up catching him at a deserted spot near the lake, grabbing unto his arm. He tried to twist out of her hold but she wouldn't let go.

"Okay, I'm not sure what your problem is, sweetheart, but I don't want any trouble." He said, trying to keep calm but he was looking at her like she was a complete lunatic.

"Trouble? You're the one popping out of nowhere and disrupting my life here!" Caroline retorted. "How are you even here? Bonnie put the Veil back up!"

He struggled more. "Bonnie who? What Veil?"

"Oh, don't give me that bullshit! You know perfectly know what I'm talking about!" She's nearly hysterical now. "_What are you doing here?"_

"Look, I seriously don't know what you're talking about!" His eyes were wide with fear and panic now. "I just came here for some beer and to talk to some girls not to get accosted by some crazy blonde!"

She growled. She's had enough of this nonsense. She was in a new place without any of her friends and some Original decided to come back from the dead and make himself a nuisance. She was going to kill him…_again_, if she had to!

She hit him.

_Hard_.

Across the face and he tumbled to the ground.

His hand went to his mouth where he was bleeding and he winced when his tongue tasted the wound. He looked up at her with wide brown eyes and she just _knew_.

He got up slowly, warily, staring at her in shock.

And she couldn't stop staring at the blood on his lips, the smell familiar.

She knew the difference between vampire and human blood all too well. And right now Kol's blood didn't smell the least bit vampire.

"You're human."

* * *

**I know, I know. I shouldn't really be starting any new stories but this plot bunny wouldn't leave me alone**.


End file.
